Product Background
9th November 2012
1.ARTEMIS IN DETAIL
The World’s First Super-SUV
Luxury is not only about the quality of the product, service and exclusivity. It is also about anticipating and providing what customers want but cannot get elsewhere.
Eterniti’s first car, the Artemis, is an expression of that, meeting an unmet need - for new levels of luxury, space and performance in an SUV – to create a new niche. With high-end luxury and huge performance in equal measure, plus exceptional exclusivity and choice of specification, the Artemis serves as three vehicles in one. It is the world’s first Super-SUV, and will come to market ahead of luxury SUV offerings from Bentley, Lamborghini, Maserati and, possibly, Aston Martin’s Lagonda brand.
Not only that, but its limousine-like rear cabin gives customers the option of being driven in chauffeured luxury or getting behind the wheel for a rewarding, driver-focused experience, something which is increasingly demanded by customers in the Asia-Pacific markets, especially China. An SUV’s relatively compact footprint and wheelbase, ride height, four-wheel drive and dynamic performance mean that it can offer driver appeal which a limousine cannot, practicality a supercar can only dream of, and everyday usability beyond the reach of both. This is especially true in many Asia-Pacific markets, where road quality outside the major cities can be poor and a rugged SUV is the only realistic option.
A First Step
The Artemis is a first step for Eterniti. The company knows that it will take time to develop luxury vehicles which are completely designed in-house and fully reflect the Eterniti brand values, but future products will move the company strongly in that direction.
Meantime the Artemis is based on the most dynamic version of the latest generation of Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo, the most capable and advanced SUV in the industry. The platform is not only of the highest quality but is thoroughly proven and with a drivetrain capable of delivering additional performance without compromising existing components and systems.
Indeed, few car brands even among the major OEMs now have stand-alone platforms: there is considerable technology sharing between VW Group’s brand stable for instance, and the Bentley SUV will be based on the VW Group large SUV platform. The Maserati will reportedly be based on a Dodge platform and the mooted Lagonda on a Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Elsewhere, one of the industry’s most significant new-brand launches, Tesla, heavily based its first car to date on the Lotus Elise.
The Artemis is the result of a chassis-up rebuild, including the new, re-packaged interior, additional engine performance, carbon-composite body panels and carbon fibre aerodynamics features, and suspension tuning. The principle behind the car might be compared to what Alpina does with BMWs, only with interior specification more akin to a Maybach – except that, in addition, the skin of the Artemis is almost completely new, with only the pillars and the roof line being original.
Luxury and Interior
The interior of the Artemis is a large part of the story, especially the rear cabin. It is not only re-trimmed but re-engineered and repackaged to provide additional rear legroom of up to 100mm, creating the first SUV suitable for chauffeured transport.
As well as moving the line of the rear seats backwards, the configuration is entirely new, with two individual seats separated by a central console. The seats are multi-functional and fully electric, with fore, aft and recline controls, lumbar supports, heating and cooling, and a footrest.
Individual iPad holders which reveal electronically are concealed in the front seat-backs. An iPhone dock connects to a choice of high-end audio and entertainment systems. All rear cabin features are operated by controls in the new console, which also houses a drinks chiller and crystal glasses.
The seats are trimmed in highest-quality bespoke leather predominantly sourced from Italy and the UK. The leather is complemented by a bespoke alcantara roof lining, lambswool rugs, and quilted floor linings and boot trim. The cars will be equipped with either a glass sunroof and starlight lining or a full-length glass panoramic roof.
All cars will also come with a communication management and navigation system and heated multi-function steering wheel.
Body, Technical and Performance
The body is made from advanced carbon-composite material, typically used in race car manufacture for light weight and strength.
A bespoke high-mounted full-width brake light with central chevron feature, carbon front splitter and rear diffuser - flanked by two large, flush, chrome-finished exhaust embellishers - provide further individuality, complemented by body jewellery including a back-illuminated chrome detail on both flanks.
With a width of 2055mm at the rear wheel arches, the Artemis has real physical presence, complemented by bespoke 23” wheels and 315/25 tyres. The length 4876mm and height of 1680mm combine with the width for a low, purposeful stance but with the ability to increase ground clearance by 110mm through the air suspension system, which also provides active management.
The technical team has been able to call on ex-Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert and sports car racer Tim Sugden as test drivers to prove test cars under extreme conditions. Eterniti has increased performance of the twin-turbo 4.8-litre V8 petrol engine from 500bhp to over 600bhp through remapping and induction improvements, resulting in a top speed in excess of 180mph (290kph) and acceleration from 0-100kph in around 4.5 seconds.
The team has also developed the springs, dampers, anti-roll system, wheels, tyres and ride heights to suit the new car, achieving exceptional dynamics, particularly with regard to turn-in, grip and traction, steering and overall balance, while retaining very good levels of ride comfort.
The transmission features an 8-speed semi-automatic gearbox with active all-wheel drive, electronically variable multi-plate clutch, automatic brake differential and anti-slip regulation. Suspension is double wishbone at the front and multilink at the rear. Braking is by internally ventilated disks all-round, with six-piston calipers at the front and four-piston calipers at the rear.
Buying and Owning
The Artemis is undergoing the final stages of testing and will be put into production from this summer.
The price for the high-specification launch model is the local currency equivalent of £210,000 plus local taxes in all markets except China, which will have a unique pricing strategy owing to its complicated imported car taxation regime.
Customers can specify their cars with unique combinations of trim and options chosen from around 15 exterior paints finishes and a choice of polished chrome, dark chrome or painted finishes.
There are 16 leather trim colours, with multiple patterning and stitching styles, including options for embossing, brogueing and embroidery. Choices of alcantara, six veneers including burr walnut, piano black and carbon fibre, help to create a unique interior for every car, and Eterniti staff will help build the right specification for every customer.
For those who want the ultimate in bespoke specifications Eterniti’s atelier will source any materials and parts to design and build a car to meet an individual customer’s most exacting demands.
Eterniti is committed to providing a first-class experience from the point of enquiry throughout the lifetime of ownership. Buyers will receive a full, two-year/100,000-mile warranty including two years’ servicing. The servicing and warranty work will be carried out through a combination of the company’s own facilities and a ‘flying doctor’ service, and by dealers as they come on stream.
2. SPECIFICATIONS
STANDARD EQUIPMENT
Exterior
Handmade carbon composite body
Chrome mesh grille
Back-lit chrome side embellishers
Flush chrome exhaust embellishers
Carbon splitter, diffuser
23” forged alloy wheels in multiple styles
Metallic paint in 15 colours
Carbon door mirrors
Bi-Xenon lamps with dynamic lighting system
Eterniti-etched headlamp bezels
Full-width high-mount brake light with chevron detail
Comfort & Interior
Handcrafted interior with:
•Finest- grade leather hide in 16 colours
•Natural wood, aluminium or carbon fibre veneers black, brushed piano
•Lambswool rugs
•Alcantara
•Quilted floor and luggage compartment trim
Multi-functional front sports seats with 18-way memory package (including steering wheel and exterior mirrors) and powered:
•Fore and aft
•Backrest angle
•Height
•Squab angle and length
•Back and squab side bolsters
•Lumbar support
•Heating
Multi-functional twin rear pilot seats with footrests and powered:
•Recline
•Height
•Squab angle
•4-way lumbar support
•Heating
•Ventilation
Drinks chiller and glasses
2 iPads with twin electronically revealed device holders
iPod/iPhone dock
Eterniti high-end audio system with 5.1 digital surround sound, 14 speakers, 585-Watt amplifier and noise cancellation
Communication management and navigation system with 7-inch HD touchscreen display
Panoramic roof or sunroof with starlight lining
Heated steering wheel trimmed in leather and veneers
Air conditioning-cooled glove compartment
Stainless steel tread plates
Convenience
Camera pack with parking assistance
Automatically dimming interior and exterior mirrors
Cruise control
Safety
Steering wheel and dash- mounted airbags
Side airbags (front)
Curtain airbags (front/rear)
Frontal impact sensors
Rollover detection system
Seat belt force limiters (front)
Water-repellent front side windows
Automatic headlamp activation
Dynamic lighting system with cornering function, speed-sensitive headlamp activation and adverse weather function
Daytime running lights
ABS brakes with loose surface function
Individual pad wear sensors
Stability management system with automatic brake preparation, selective braking and engine management intervention
Security
Engine immobiliser
Alarm with ultrasonic interior surveillance
Automatic steering wheel lock
Encrypted key code scanning
TECHNICAL
Engine
Configuration: V8, twin-turbo
Displacement: 4806cc
Fuel: gasoline, Super Plus
Power: 600bhp (441kw) @ 6000rpm
Torque: 750Nm @ 2500-4600rpm
Compression ratio: 10.5:1
Economy (litres/100km): Extra-urban 9.7, urban 17.8, combined 12.6
CO2 emissions: 285g/km, EU5
Performance
Max speed: 289.5kph (180mph)
Acceleration: 0-100kph (62mph) 4.5 secs
Transmission
Type: Active all-wheel drive with electronically variable, map-controlled multi-plate clutch, automatic brake differential and anti-slip regulation
Gearbox: 8-speed semi-automatic with auto stop-start
Chassis
Suspension: Air with active management, active anti-roll, stability management
Front - fully independent, double-wishbone
Rear – fully independent, multi-link
Brakes: hydraulic, ventilated discs
Front – 6-piston
Rear – 4-piston
ABS
Steering: hydraulic, power-assisted
Wheels & Tyres
23” ultra-lightweight forged alloy wheels 23” 315/25 tyres
Tyre pressure monitoring
Body & dimensions
Body: carbon composite
Dimensions: 4876mm (L), 2055mm (w), 1680mm (h)
Wheelbase: 2895mm
Weights & capacities
Gross weight: 2880kg
Fuel tank – 100 litres